The man stood against the light, sunlight shining from behind, casting a scattered golden glow over his figure. Even the tips of his black hair appeared warm and light brown, melting away the solemnity that usually surrounded him, revealing glimpses of tenderness.
He was too striking to be ignored.
“Hey, you’re here?” The closest man to him, Jing Yu, turned and instructed matter-of-factly, “Since you’re here, don’t just stand there. Find something to do.”
“You’re quite casual,” Gu Tingshen gave his friend a funny look, rolling up his sleeves as he approached the brothers. “Xiao Jing, long time no see. Anything you need me to do?”
From his brother’s reaction, he was probably the one who invited Gu Tingshen.
Jing Li didn’t feel too surprised, nodding at him and calling out, “Tingshen-ge.”
After a pause, he scanned the surroundings and focused on the vegetable basket beside him, saying, “Nothing else, but if you don’t mind the trouble, you could start stringing the vegetables.”
Since they were attending an outdoor barbecue, it was only natural to participate and make it more enjoyable. So, Jing Li was not polite with him.
But after saying that, he remembered something and asked Gu Tingshen, “Do you know how to string vegetables?”
“I do.” Gu Tingshen smiled in response, stepping beside him. He washed his hands in a nearby basin. He skillfully strung a skewer of mushrooms and waved it in front of Jing Li. “How’s this? Not bad, right?”
Seeing Jing Li nod in affirmation, he smiled, “When your brother and I studied abroad, we often organized similar outdoor cooking activities with the local students. I picked up this skill back then.”
“Right, he’s clueless about cooking and culinary arts. Stringing vegetables is probably the only task that doesn’t require skill.” Jing Yu chimed in, looking over with disdain as he mocked him, “He insisted on doing it for years, so of course he practiced.”
“Like you’re one to talk, with your expertise in picking firewood,” Gu Tingshen retorted, and the two started bickering playfully.
Putting aside their professional identities, it was a rare moment of leisure and relaxation.
Jing Li, however, was somewhat surprised. He never expected Gu Tingshen to have such an interesting experience while studying abroad. He remembered the solemn and taciturn demeanor from their first meeting, assuming he was the stern and ruthless CEO type. He didn’t anticipate this easygoing side when interacting with friends.
The same went for his brother. Whether in the previous Spiritual Realm or this current world, his brother always shouldered burdens alone. This was the first time he had seen him so carefree and at ease.
Jing Li observed the two’s playful banter, reminiscing about their student days while also revealing relaxed smiles. He found himself smiling, too, suddenly feeling a sense of accomplishment for organizing this worthwhile event.
Amidst the laughter and chatter, the work at hand seemed to become enjoyable. Soon, Jing Li finished stringing the vegetables in the basket in front of him.
After organizing the skewers neatly, he moved to another basket, helping Gu Tingshen string the vegetables.
The table for arranging the vegetables was a long one, so even standing side by side, they had ample space to work.
Jing Li’s speed matched Gu Tingshen’s, and the skewers he strung were neat and appetizing, quickly forming a small mountain.
Gu Tingshen glanced over and praised sincerely, “Xiao Jing, your skewers look particularly delicious.”
“It’s because Master Lin cut the vegetables well,” Jing Li smiled in response, his movements unceasing as he swiftly strung another skewer, noticeably faster than before.
Gu Tingshen looked at him, amused by his serious expression, and couldn’t resist teasing him a little.
“Hey, Xiao Jing, how do I string this?” He suddenly held up a piece of lotus root, gesturing with it in his hands. “This lotus root is too crisp, it keeps snapping in half when I apply a little force.”
However, he wasn’t entirely lying, as he had indeed never strung lotus roots before when studying abroad.
Saying this, he extended the lotus root piece towards Jing Li.
“You can’t force it through,” Jing Li glanced over, taking it and trying to pierce through the edge with the bamboo skewer, gently pushing it forward.
However, just as he reached the center, a small crack appeared on the lotus root surface before snapping apart with a “crack.”
Jing Li: “……”
“Pfft.” Gu Tingshen couldn’t help but laugh, quickly turning his head to the side so Jing Li wouldn’t see.
But Jing Li wasn’t paying attention, staring at the broken lotus root pieces with dissatisfaction. He picked up another piece, trying again more gently and carefully than before. Yet no matter how hard he tried, the skewer would crack through the center.
After several failed attempts, even the composed Jing Li furrowed his brows.
“I just searched online, and this is how they do it. Should we try their method?” Gu Tingshen suddenly spoke up.
Jing Li instinctively turned towards him, just as Gu Tingshen leaned in with his phone. Caught off guard, their heads ended up side by side, Jing Li’s lips lightly brushing against Gu Tingshen’s cheek.
The unexpected incident stunned them both, and they hurriedly pulled apart.
The air fell silent for a moment.
“Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention,” Gu Tingshen spoke first after a pause, glancing at Jing Li’s expression apologetically. “I was just going to show you the pictures.”
“It’s fine. I wasn’t being careful either,” Jing Li responded calmly and swiftly.
However, this made Gu Tingshen feel somewhat uncertain.
“Are you sure you’re okay with it?” Gu Tingshen asked, looking at him sincerely. “If you’re uncomfortable, I…”
“You’ll take responsibility? Or offer yourself in marriage?” Jing Li suddenly arched a brow, a teasing look on his face. “No need, it’s not that serious.”
Gu Tingshen was momentarily stunned before bursting into laughter. “So these are classic TV drama lines?”
Jing Li nodded seriously at first, then couldn’t help but laugh as well.
The two seemed to find some inexplicable humor, laughing for a moment until the atmosphere returned to normal.
At that moment, Jing Li’s phone rang. He put down his work, wiped his hands, and took out his phone. Seeing it was Wang Lele calling, he guessed the other should have arrived. He nodded at Gu Tingshen and answered the call, walking towards the entrance. “You’re here? I’ll come to the gate and get you…”
Gu Tingshen watched Jing Li’s retreating back, a lingering smile on his lips.
But his heart stirred with a different emotion.
When Jing Li’s lips had accidentally brushed against his cheek earlier, he couldn’t help but feel his heartbeat quicken.
“And even until this moment, he seemed to still feel the lingering softness on his cheek.
This was an experience he had never encountered before. And it was something that kept happening with Jing Li one after another, which made him feel a little confused for a while.
However, such thoughts only flashed briefly in his mind before he swiftly brushed them aside. Analyzing that situation in detail would be rather awkward, especially involving his good friend’s younger brother. Dwelling on it didn’t seem appropriate.
Soon enough, Gu Tingshen adjusted his state of mind and immersed himself back into stringing the vegetables.
*
Jing Li had just reached the entrance when he saw Wang Lele waiting outside with a gift box. He quickly walked over and opened the door with a smile. “I invited you over to have fun, but you still brought gifts.”
“It’s my first time at your place, so I can’t show up empty-handed,” Wang Lele responded with a smile, handing the gift to him as he approached.
He had actually gone to the mall early that morning with his assistant to carefully select this gift.
Initially, he thought Jing Li’s invitation online was merely a casual joke, especially after seeing Qian Jianan’s disgusting comments. So he didn’t take it too seriously, even purposefully going along with Jing Li’s display of true friendship.
But he didn’t expect that last night, Jing Li actually called to invite him over.
He was both surprised and touched.
In the entertainment industry, he had interacted with many people, but most friendships were just surface-level politeness. After all, they were all in the same circle, running into each other frequently. It was rare to develop a genuine friendship, let alone be invited to a friend’s private home.
Wang Lele was truly moved by Jing Li’s sincerity and regard for their friendship. So he immediately booked the earliest flight back to the capital and went straight to the mall with his assistant, determined to select a valuable yet unique gift to demonstrate his sincerity.
Moreover, he heard Jing Li mention having an older brother. For a family like theirs with such diverse experiences, choosing a gift required even more careful consideration. He didn’t want Jing Li’s family to mistakenly view him as an opportunist trying to curry favor with the elite.
With this in mind, he was exceptionally serious in selecting the gifts, which was why he arrived a bit late.
“But it cost a lot, so you can’t refuse!” Wang Lele joked, pushing the gift into Jing Li’s arms. “The red box is for you, and the black one is for your brother.”
“My brother gets one too?” Jing Li laughed, stretched out his hand to take it, raised his eyebrows, and joked, “Then he’s really lucked out!”
Wang Lele laughed as Jing Li playfully teased him, unable to resist punching his shoulder.
The two walked inside, chatting and laughing, immediately noticing the bustling scene in the courtyard.
“Wow, you’ve prepared so thoroughly!” Wang Lele surveyed the long white table adorned with white roses and filled with all sorts of pastries, then looked at the temporary tent set up in the middle with exquisite white tables and chairs. His jaw nearly dropped at his friend’s extravagance.
The setup was almost on par with the outdoor banquets he had attended before.
And this was just a family barbecue gathering!
However, when he noticed the barbecue racks on the right and the two men standing at the long table beside it, Wang Lele suddenly froze. His eyes widened in disbelief as he pointed at the two men, his voice trembling. “…They…they are…?!”
“Oh, the one on the left is my brother, Jing Yu. The one on the right is Gu Tingshen,” Jing Li calmly introduced them. “They’re friends too, so my brother invited him over as well.”
Of course, I know those are Jing Yu and Gu Tingshen!
Those two men who frequently grace the covers of financial magazines – how could he not recognize them?
What he was asking was…
Wait!
“Your brother?!” Wang Lele was genuinely flustered now. He whipped his head towards his friend in astonishment. “You’re saying Jing Yu is your brother?! You’re the second young master of the Jing Group?!”
His voice nearly cracked from shouting, naturally drawing the attention of the two men over there who looked this way.
Seeing this, Jing Li simply pulled him over towards them, murmuring, “I’ll explain the situation to you later.”
As they approached his brother, Jing Li smiled and introduced his friend Wang Lele.
Wang Lele greeted them with a dazed expression, visibly tense and nervous.
Jing Yu was very gracious, giving Wang Lele a once-over before nodding with a smile. “Welcome to our home.”
When it was Gu Tingshen’s turn, he was just as easygoing, even cracking a joke with a smile, “Since you’re Xiao Jing’s friend, you can just call me ‘ge’ like he does.”
I don’t have the guts for that.
Wang Lele trembled inwardly while plastering on a dazzling smile.
He suddenly recalled a rant he had read online before, where the poster complained about unexpectedly discovering their friend was a super-rich man, leaving them feeling utterly panicked and helpless.
He had mocked it at the time, but now he wanted to cry for help just like that person.
“Alright, now that we’re all here, we can start the barbecue,” Jing Li smoothly changed the subject, sensing Wang Lele’s discomfort. “Ge, you and Tingshen-ge can finish stringing the remaining vegetables. Lele, you can help me carry the skewers to the grill.”
With that, he pulled Wang Lele over to the barbecue racks.
Even after being led to the grills, Wang Lele still seemed dazed, staring at his friend with a mournful tone. “Why didn’t you tell me you’re Jing Yu’s brother?”
With this revelation, even if he claimed he didn’t intend to curry favor with the elite, no one would believe him.
“You never asked,” Jing Li casually replied.
He could not just tell everyone he met that he was the second young master of the Jing Group. That’s ridiculous!
Wang Lele: “…”
Although it was true to say that, he still felt somewhat disgruntled.
As Jing Li tied his apron, he glanced at Wang Lele’s expression and couldn’t help but laugh mockingly. “Enough with that pathetic look. Just think of it as your rich friend leveling up his assets. Others would kill for a chance to ingratiate themselves with me. Hurry up and grab the skewers before we miss lunch!”
“So, should I start ingratiating myself with you now that Er Shao deems me worthy?” Wang Lele laughed in return. He swiftly grabbed a plate of meat skewers from the nearby table. “Er Shao, please accept my humble offering.”
“Get lost,” Jing Li laughed and scolded him. He took some meat skewers, brushed them lightly with oil, and placed them on the grill grates.
As soon as they touched the grates, a sizzling sound erupted, the aroma of meat instantly wafting through the air. Wang Lele’s mouth watered as he stared unblinkingly at Jing Li’s movements. “It smells so good. I didn’t expect you to actually have skills.”
Jing Li chuckled lightly but didn’t respond. He swiftly brushed on various seasonings evenly. Suddenly, the skewers seemed to come alive, releasing an even richer fragrance as they sizzled over the charcoal fire as if conducting a culinary symphony that made one’s saliva nearly drool.
When the skewers turned golden brown, he sprinkled on some cumin, instantly releasing a wisp of smoke. This time, not just the taste buds but even the stomach started protesting with hunger.
“Alright, want to try some?” Jing Li handed one skewer to Wang Lele before placing the rest on a nearby grill plate.
“I’ll just bring them over,” Wang Lele hesitated, shaking his head. Though tempted, he didn’t feel right eating in front of everyone, so he carried the plate away.
Jing Li didn’t insist. When Wang Lele returned, he casually changed the subject. “After this drama wraps up, do you have any other schedules lined up?”
“Nothing for now,” Wang Lele replied as he continued carrying skewers. “You know this drama is promising, so the company plans to wait for a better script later.”
“Why don’t you consider joining my crew then?” Jing Li looked at him seriously. “There’s a great role in ‘The Last Remnant’ that I think would suit you well. It’s only the third male lead, but there are plenty of scenes, and the character design is very good. You’re bound to become a hit.”
“So you really plan to let me hold your thigh?” Wang Lele couldn’t help but laugh, though he didn’t seem overly excited. “But I heard the cast for this drama is almost finalized? And with Director Yu’s standards, he probably wouldn’t even consider someone like me for a minor role. I…”
“What does it have to do with Director Yu?” Jing Li fixed him with a firm gaze. “Just tell me if you want the role or not. Don’t overthink the rest.”
“Of course I want it, but…” Wang Lele was conflicted. He didn’t want to miss a great opportunity, but he also didn’t want Jing Li to pull strings for him.
“Then it’s settled,” Jing Li cut him off. “The crew will contact you later. But let me be clear, I’m only lining up an audition opportunity for you, not giving you a free pass. Whether you get the role will depend entirely on your own abilities.”
Wang Lele hesitated, baffled by how quickly this was decided. But seeing Jing Li’s resolute expression, he couldn’t refuse his goodwill and could only nod in agreement.
*
While the two chatted animatedly, Gu Tingshen seemed distracted.
After finishing the skewers, he joined Jing Yu at the dining table, idly chatting while waiting for the grilling duo.
Initially, he was drawn by the enticing aroma from the grill. But gradually, his gaze shifted towards the person busily working there.
The grill directly faced this dining area, perfectly framing Jing Li in his line of sight from this angle.
The man across had his eyes downcast, focused on the sizzling skewers, occasionally exchanging banter with his friend beside him.
Bathed in sunlight, his silhouette was gilded with a soft glow, even the fine fuzz on his face radiating an adorable luminescence.
His arched brows resembled crescent moons, his lush lashes seeming to be dusted with a pale tint under the sun’s rays, fluttering merrily with each blink, casting scattered starlight onto his pupils – dazzling and captivating.
Gu Tingshen found himself unconsciously entranced, his gaze drifting downwards and fixating on the rosy lips.
Watching those lips part and move as he spoke, Gu Tingshen’s mind unexpectedly flashed back to that accidental kiss earlier. The spot on his cheek that had been kissed started feeling warm again, even the soft sensation seeming to linger…
At that moment, Jing Li sensed his gaze and looked up, meeting his eyes. Those starry black eyes blinked in surprise before curving into a smile directed at him.
Gu Tingshen felt his breath catch sharply, the earlier flutters he had suppressed surging back up uncontrollably.
Feeling his heartbeat pounding erratically again, he hastily averted his gaze, for the first time unable to hold that person’s eyes.
*
The grilling process seemed endless and torturous as everyone’s mouths watered from the wafting aromas.
Finally, when all the skewers were cooked, Jing Li and Wang Lele joined the dining table.
“At last, it’s ready,” Jing Yu rubbed his hands eagerly, eyeing the abundant spread. As usual, he took out his phone to snap numerous photos. Jing Li also dutifully uploaded and posted the pictures on his social media before inviting everyone to dig in.
Watching his actions, Wang Lele gave him a surprised look. “So those mouthwatering food pics you posted before were all from Mr. Jing?”
“Yeah. My brother takes great photos, so I just used them,” Jing Li replied calmly and matter-of-factly.
“They do look amazing enough to make everyone drool,” Wang Lele agreed with an approving nod.
Jing Yu beamed at their praise, appearing friendlier toward Wang Lele. Aside from Gu Tingshen’s uncharacteristic silence, the atmosphere at the table grew lively.
Halfway through the meal, Jing Yu suddenly spoke up, “By the way, Xiao Jing, how are the preparations for your drama crew going? Do you have enough funds from your investment? Do you need me to…”
“No need. The funding is more than sufficient,” Jing Li firmly declined, knowing his meaning. “We’re just waiting for the remaining actors to be finalized before starting production.”
“‘The Last Remnant’?” Gu Tingshen couldn’t help but chime in after hearing them. “That script is indeed impressive. I didn’t expect you two to actually convince Director Wen to direct it. He’s notorious for his stubbornness.”
“The more stubborn he is, the more it shows he cherishes a great script. I’m more at ease with him in charge of the crew,” Jing Yu smiled. “If even an old fox like you approves of the script, how could he not be tempted? Moreover, we promised him full control over casting and directing without interference.”
The three continued their discussion.
Meanwhile, Wang Lele was dumbstruck, frozen in place.
The renowned international director Wen Zheng was directing ‘The Last Remnant’?
Wasn’t it supposed to be Director Yu?
Admittedly, compared to Wen Zheng, Director Yu paled in comparison.
But that wasn’t the main point.
When did Jing Li invest in ‘The Last Remnant’?
And he asked if I wanted to join the crew?!
As just the ‘third male lead’?!!
Did he not know that if news got out Wen Zheng was directing a new drama, even a minor role would be snatched up instantly?
Small Theater:
Initially, Gu Tingshen: No, I can’t develop improper thoughts. This is my good friend’s younger brother.
Later, Gu Tingshen knelt before his friend: Brother!!
Jing Yu: ……
Jing Yu: Get the hell out of here! (kicks him over)
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